Each electronic device typically comprises a chip (one or more) of semiconductor material for implementing functionalities of the electronic device, a package wherein the chip is embedded to protect it and to allow access to terminals thereof, and a conductive structure (referred to as lead frame) for mechanically and electrically coupling the chip to external circuits and/or electronic components (for example, on a printed circuit board or PCB).
The lead frame typically comprises a support element for mechanically supporting the chip, and a plurality of leads for mounting the electronic device on the PCB and for electrical connection of the chip.
Inside the package, the leads are electrically connected to respective terminals of the chip by means of wire connections (wire bonding), whereas, outside the package, the leads are electrically connected to conductive pads of the PCB, for example by means of a reflow thermal process.
However, the wire bonding introduces inductive components, which may affect the operation of the electronic device. In particular, in electronic devices wherein the support element is sized and arranged so as to facilitate also the dissipation of heat from the chip, typically the chip (i.e., its terminals) and the leads may be too distant from each other (reason why wire bonding having significant length, and hence inductance, is required).
Furthermore, in order to connect the chip to electronic components external to it (for example, passive electronic components such as resistors or capacitors), it is necessary to mount the electronic components on the PCB and make electrical connections (for example, conductive tracks) on the PCB between these electronic components and the respective leads of the electronic device. However, this determines an excessive area occupation on the PCB (as well as a difficult optimization of the same, in terms of cost and/or size), and an excessive distance between the chip and these electronic components (with resulting reduction in performance of the electronic device).